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I'm curious what happens to cigar bars? Are there any exceptions?

Effective Monday 4/16, The HLH bar will be non-smoking per the new law. The Cigar room will continue to be available for cigar smoking in that it is a separately licensed business that does not serve food or alcohol. The hotel will continue to have smoking and non smoking rooms and there is an upstairs lounge area in the hotelwhere smoking is allowed.

Curious....Does the new law include the electronic cigarette which is smokeless?

The Del Rey and Key Largo are now officially non-smoking establishments. There are prominent non-smoking signs posted and smokers are rightfully being sent outside to the curb.

The upshot is there are a bunch of hookers hanging out, smoking in the parking lot of the Key Largo. This has become the defacto smoking area.

There had been some misinformation about the law, widely circulated in English language publications that for whatever reason had problems reading the text of the law in Spanish. The difference between what had been published in the Spanish language press and the English press underlined why you should not be so quick to believe everything you read on the Internet.

While the full set of regulations will not take effect for several more months, or up to a year in the case of marketing and labels on packages the most important provision went into effect at the beginning of April. The really fun part about the fines for business managers and smokers might take a while to work out.

Restaurants and bars that fail to post the non-smoking sign as required by law are subject to inspection and closure by the Health Department. If you know of any businesses that are failing to obey this health regulation you can file a complaint personally. http://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/inde ... nuncias-ms

The agency will be required to perform an inspection of the business, which is not limited to just the smoking sign. For example, they might find something wrong that is expensive to fix in the kitchen.

Business owners love to deal with the health department in Costa Rica. They are a ton of fun.

Ministerio de Salud, Ministerio de Salud…..Patente de Salud….

Say the name over and over around your gringo business owner friends in Costa Rica and just watch their reaction.

Now, far be it for me to be less than humble…. But

I TOLD YOU SO….

Debate all you like, no one is really listening here in Costa Rica. Smokers, much like misbehaved dogs have one place, and that is out on the curb were the rest of the sewage flows in Costa Rica.

If you do not like it, then go somewhere else. Complain to someone who cares. Would you like a hankie to wipe away the tears?

And are you ready? Here is the GOOD NEWS.

Prostitution in Costa Rica is still nice and legal.

Pura Vida